English
Special Collections and University Archives
15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 Tel: 401-874-4632 email: archives@etal.uri.edu
Theatre-by-the-Sea (Matunuck, R.I.)
Records of the Theatre-by-the-Sea
1951-1988
19.25 linear feet,
38 box(es)
This collection contains a wealth of materials related to the productions of the Theatre-by-the-Sea in Matanuck, Rhode Island. The Theatre changed ownership frequently, but continued to present plays for several decades from the late 1960s to 2003. For a list of the Theatre-by-the-Sea productions please see the Scope/Content note.
Mss. Gr. 191
Historical note
The Theatre-By-The-Sea, a cultural landmark in the state of Rhode Island, was a complex of buildings on Card's Pond Road in Matunuck that operated as a summer stock theatre for seventy years, from 1933 until 2003. The Theatre building itself began as a barn, built in several sections from 1840 through the late 1800s, on the site of the Browning family farm. The barn was converted into a horse and carriage house in 1891, when George Browning decided to convert his family's house into a hotel for summer tourists, called the Ocean Star. Mrs. Browning sold the Ocean Star in 1919 after George's death.
The Browning farm was bought by Alice Tyler and her husband in 1921 for use as a summer home. After her husband's death in 1928, Tyler began using the property as a girls summer camp. In 1933, Tyler began converting the barn into a theatre. The conversion included the construction of a proscenium and fly space, and the addition of 300 seats to the barn. The proscenium was built by a contractor employing a team of twenty-four shipbuilders from New Bedford, MA. The installation of the technical equipment and lighting also occurred in the summer of 1933, with most of the equipment coming from a vacant vaudeville theater and movie house in Port Chester, NY. Alice Taylor brought in Abe Feder to design the stage lighting. Feder later worked with Orson Welles' Mercury Theater, and designed the lighting for Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Theatre's first show, a pre-Broadway tryout of "Amourette" starring Claire Kummer, opened on August 15, 1933.
Over the years, there were several other construction projects on the theater, including the addition of a balcony, and 300 more seats after the hurricane of 1938 destroyed a section of the roof and the back wall of the theatre. Hurricane Carol in 1954 also caused damage to the Theatre that required repairs. The other buildings in the Theatre-By-The-Sea complex included a ranch house that was used as the business office, a shed which was used to store supplies, a one and a half story costume shed that had been built as a 19th century feed house, and a two and a half story inn that contained the company's lodgings on the second floor, and which had a restaurant and bar for theatre patrons on the first floor. The bar and restaurant, which was housed in an attached porch that had been built in the 1950s, changed names several times as new owners and managers operated the business. The names included the Spotlight Club (early 1950s), Player's Patio (mid-1950s), Backstage Club (1960s), and finally, the Seahorse Grill. With the exception of the business office, all of the buildings were part of the original 19th century Browning farm.
Several times throughout the Theatre's history the business did not open for the summer. The first time, in 1942 and 1943, gas rationing during World War II caused the Theatre to shut down. It opened as a movie house in the summers of 1944 and 1945, and began live performances again after the end of the War, in the summer of 1946. In 1951, Donald Wolin and Harold Schiff began operating the Theatre for Alice Taylor, and brought in stage and screen stars to the theatre each summer. A common arrangement in small theatres at the time, the "package system", allowed the star to choose several of their co-performers. In addition, the "Equity system" mandated that a certain portion of the cast had to be members of Actor's Equity, and the casting costs began to make the star system prohibitively expensive for the Theatre. In 1959, after a particularly bad summer the year before in which J. Thornton Hall and Joseph R. Wishy had taken over as producers, the Theatre was shut down, and was sold to the Bontecou family. The Bontecou's re-opened it from 1960 to 1962, with John Holmes acting as the producer. From 1963 to 1966, however, the Theatre was closed again, largely because construction on Route 1 made access to the Theatre difficult.
By 1966, the Bontecou family had decided to demolish the Theatre. Shortly before the demolition began, Tommy Brent, who had worked at the theatre in 1958 as a press agent, invested his own funds to once again re-open the theatre. When Brent arrived at the site, in March of 1967, he saw that damage to the buildings from vandals and neglect was too severe to fix alone, so he placed an advertisement in the April 27 Narragansett Times for volunteers workers to make the necessary repairs. The Theatre was repaired in time to open the summer season on June 18, 1967.
Tommy Brent acted as producer and manager of the Theatre from 1967 to 1988, overseeing the hiring of actors, technical crew, and stage managers. Members of the cast and crew lived on the second floor of the Inn, and paid for their meals and rent. Brent also oversaw the Junior Company, an apprenticeship program in which young people, generally high school age, would build sets and play bit parts in productions to gain experience in the world of theatre. During Brent's time as producer and manager, then-Governor John Chafee proclaimed Theatre-By-The-Sea Week from July 28-August 3, 1968, and the Theatre was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
FourQuest Entertainment, consisting of partners Laura Harris (who had worked summers at the Theatre under Tommy Brent), Renny Serre, and Ric Ericson, took over the operation of the theatre in 1989, and purchased it several years later, in 1992. FourQuest made $3 million in renovations to the Theatre, and began using Actor's Equity members in their productions. In 1998, Ericson left FourQuest to produce shows independently, and the following year, Marcy Simpson came to the Theatre as associate producer. Members of FourQuest decided to sell the property several years later, and, after being unable to find a buyer, the Theatre closed in 2003.
Open for research.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Preferred Citation
Records of the Theatre-by-the-Sea, Mss. Gr. 191, University of Rhode Island Library.
Scope and Content Note
The Records of the Theatre-By-The-Sea Papers document the history of the Theatre from its opening in 1933 until 1988. The records detail the auditioning, casting, and hiring of the summer companies and junior companies, as well as describing the general operations of the theatre, including payroll, scheduling, and housing arrangements for the members of the company. The records also include photographs, recordings, news clippings, playbills, posters, written histories, correspondence, and set designs. Several folders contain material on Brent's productions at the Garde Theatre in New London, CT in 1981. For a list of the Theatre's productions, please scroll to the bottom of this scope/content note.
The records are divided into the following series:
Series I, Summer Theatre Companies (1967-1988), relates to the cast and crew of the Theatre-By-The-Sea summer stock companies. The series contains applications, contracts, correspondence, resumes, publicity photographs, payroll data, notes, news clippings, and staff and cast lists.
Series II, Playbills (1951-1988), contains playbills for Theatre-By-The-Sea productions from 1955-1958, and 1978.
Series III, Theatre Posters (1953-1999), consists of posters used to advertise the Theatre's productions.
Series IV, Theatre Histories (1955-2006), consists of written histories, biographical sketches, records of construction projects, and a map of the Theatre property.
Series V, Correspondence (1967-2003), consists of business and audience correspondence, as well as a folder of personal letters to Tommy Brent.
Series VI, Photographs (1930s-1982), consists of photographs of productions, cast members, and the Theatre buildings and grounds.
Series VII, Recordings (1971-1985), consists of recordings of Theatre productions converted from cassette tapes to WAV audio file format.
Series VIII, News Clippings (1933-1971) consists of reviews of productions and general articles about the Theatre.
Series IX, Production Designs (1975-1986) contains lighting instructions, drawings of set designs, and notes on stage and set plans for various productions.
List of Theatre-by-the-Sea Productions, 1967-1988
1967
Any Wednesday
A Thousand Clowns
The Odd Couple
Barefoot in the Park
Ladies in Retirement
Luv
The Champagne Complex
1968
Generation
The Impossible Years
Never Too Late
Ladies Night in a Turkish Bath
A Delicate Balance
Enter Laughing
Holiday for Lovers
Wait Until Dark
Marriage On Approval
The Owl and the Pussycat
1969
The Star Spangled Girl
You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running
Cactus Flower
The Lion in Winter
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Don't Drink the Water
The Fantasticks
1970
I Do! I Do!
Man of La Mancha
Cabaret
Little Mary Sunshine
Ten Nights in a Barroom
Sheep on the Runway
The Boys in the Band
Lovers and Other Strangers
1971
Two If By Sea
Fiddler on the Roof
The Boy Friend
Play It Again, Sam
Plaza Suite
Private Lives
1972
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
1776
Company
The Sound of Music
Forty Carats
Last of the Red Hot Lovers
1973
The Gingerbread Lady
Promises, Promises
Applause
Oklahoma!
Anything Goes
And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little
Butterflies are Free
1974
Dames at Sea
No, No, Nanette
George M!
Hair
That Championship Season
The Prisoner of Second Avenue
1975
Finishing Touches
A Little Night Music
Gypsy
Seesaw
Jesus Christ Superstar
The Sunshine Boys
1976
George Washington Slept Here
Kiss Me Kate
Hello Dolly!
Irene
Candide
Godspell
1977
Light Up the Sky!
Guys and Dolls
Mack and Mabel
My Fair Lady
The Robber Bridegroom
The Royal Family
1978
The Fantasticks
Shenandoah
The King and I
Pippin
Equus
1979
Same Time Next Year
The Sound of Music
Man of La Mancha
Chicago
1980
Oklahoma!
Camelot
On the Twentieth Century
Grease
1981
I Love My Wife
The Pirates of Penzance
Brigadoon
West Side Story
Over Here!
1982
Tintypes
Ain't Misbehavin'
Sweeney Todd
Little Me
Whoopee!
1983
They're Playing Our Song
Show Boat
Annie
Barnum
1984
A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Woman of the Year
1985
Baby
Evita
The King and I
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
1986
The Rink
On Your Toes
A Chorus Line
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
1987
Zorba
My One and Only
Sugar Babies
Sweet Charity
1988
Sophisticated Ladies
Anything Goes
Cabaret
Singin' in the Rain
42nd Street
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in nine series as follows:
- 1. Summer Theatre Companies
- 2. Playbills
- 3. Theatre Posters
- 4. Theatre Histories
- 5. Correspondence
- 6. Photographs
- 7. Recordings
- 8. News Clippings
- 9. Production Designs
Acquisitions InformationThe records were kept by Tommy Brent, the Producer and Manager of the Theatre from 1967 to 1988, and were donated to the University of Rhode Island Library Special Collections Unit in three accessions in 2006. Many of the yearly theatre company records had been stored in cardboard file boxes, with each year's records contained in one or two boxes. Several years records had separate boxes for the junior companies. Some of the records have minor water damage, including some photographs from the 1975 season, which sustained the worst damage. Brent reviewed the records between June 2004 and August 2005, writing short explanatory notes about the material, people, and events, which he then included with the records.
No further materials are expected for this collection.
Names
Theatre-by-the-Sea (Matunuck, R.I.)
Subjects
Theatre-by-the-Sea (Matunuck, R.I.)
Theater -- Rhode Island
RIAMCO Browsing Terms
Art
Inventory
Series 1
1-23
1-136
Summer Theatre Companies1967-1988
The Summer Theatre Companies series contains the papers of Tommy Brent in his role as producer and manager of Theater-By-The-Sea from 1967-88. Several folders contain material relating to Brent's productions at the Garde Theatre in New London, CT, in the fall of 1981, which ran the same shows produced at the Theatre-By-The-Sea that summer.
The majority of the records in the series consist of information about the cast and crew for each summer's company, including records detailing the application, auditioning, and hiring process. Also contained in the series are records relating to the assistantship program for junior company members. Members of the Junior Company would work at the theatre for a small stipend, helping to build sets or playing small parts in the productions in order to gain experience in a theatre.
The series contains applications, contracts, correspondence, resumes, publicity photographs, news clippings, payroll data, memoranda, notes (some inserted into the papers by Tommy Brent when he reviewed the papers in 2004 and 2005), travel arrangements, and staff and cast lists.
The records are arranged chronologically by year, with the folders for each year arranged alphabetically by subject.
1
1
1967
1967: Cast & Crew
1
2
1967
1967: Payroll & Taxes
1
3
1968
1968: Cast & Crew, A-J
1
4
1968
1968: Cast & Crew, K-Z
1
5
1968
1968: Form Letters, Actor, Pay Lists
1
6
1969
1969: Cast & Crew, A-K
1
7
1969
1969: Cast & Crew, M-W
1
8
1969
1969: Cast Lists, Arrival Dates
1
9
1969
1969: Taxes
2
10
1970
1970: Cast & Crew, A-I
2
11
1970
1970: Cast & Crew, J-W
2
12
1970
1970: Payroll & Taxes
2
13
1971
1971: Cast & Crew, A-F
2
14
1971
1971: Cast & Crew, G-P
2
15
1971
1971: Cast & Crew, R-Y
3
16
1971
1971: Cast Lists, Payroll & Arrivals
3
17
1972
1972: Cast & Crew, A-G
3
18
1972
1972: Cast & Crew, H-P
3
19
1972
1972: Cast & Crew, R-W
3
20
1972
1972: Cast & Staff Lists, Arrival Dates
3
21
1972
1972: Junior Company Applications
4
22
1973
1973: Cast & Crew, A-G
4
23
1973
1973: Cast & Crew, H-M
4
24
1973
1973: Cast & Crew, M-R
4
25
1973
1973: Cast & Crew, R-Z
4
26
1973
1973: Cast Lists, Arrival Lists & Room Assignments
5
27
1973
1973: Junior Company Information, Notes
5
28
1973
1973: Unidentified Photographs
5
29
1974
1974: Cast & Crew, A-D
5
30
1974
1974: Cast & Crew, E-N
5
31
1974
1974: Cast & Crew, O-R
5
32
1974
1974: Cast & Crew, S-W
6
33
1974
1974: Junior Company Cast & Crew, A-L
6
34
1974
1974: Junior Company Cast & Crew, M-Y
6
35
1974
1974: Personnel & Housing Lists
6
36
1974
1974: Taxes
6
37
1975
1975: Cast & Crew, A-C
6
38
1975
1975: Cast & Crew, D-J
7
39
1975
1975: Cast & Crew, K-R
7
40
1975
1975: Cast & Crew, S-Z
7
41
1975
1975: Cast & Personnel Lists, Payroll Data
7
42
1975
1975: Junior Company
7
43
1976
1976: Cast & Crew, A-C
8
44
1976
1976: Cast & Crew, D-J
8
45
1976
1976: Cast & Crew, K-P
8
46
1976
1976: Cast & Crew, R-Y
8
47
1976
1976: Cast & Staff Lists
8
48
1976
1976: Payroll
9
49
1977
1977: Cast & Crew, A-D
9
50
1977
1977: Cast & Crew, E-L
9
51
1977
1977: Cast & Crew, M-R
9
52
1977
1977: Cast & Crew, S
10
53
1977
1977: Cast & Crew, T-Z
10
54
1977
1977: Cast & Staff Lists
10
55
1977
1977: Payroll & Taxes
10
56
1978
1978: Cast & Crew, A-Y
10
57
1978
1978: Payroll & Staff Lists
10
58
1979
1979: Cast & Crew, A-F
11
59
1979
1979: Cast & Crew, G-M
11
60
1979
1979: Cast & Crew, N-Y
11
61
1979
1979: Cast & Staff Lists
11
62
1979
1979: House Manager Daily Reports
11
63
1979
1979: Memoranda and Notes
12
64
1980
1980: Cast & Crew, A-C
12
65
1980
1980: Cast & Crew, D-J
12
66
1980
1980: Cast & Crew, K-P
12
67
1980
1980: Cast & Crew, R-Z
12
68
1980 Apr-1980 May
1980: Memoranda and Notes
12
69
1980 Jun
1980: Memoranda and Notes
13
70
1980 Jul
1980: Memoranda and Notes
13
71
1980 Aug-1980 Sep
1980: Memoranda and Notes
13
72
1980?
1980: Memoranda and Notes
13
73
1980
1980: Payroll and Financial
13
74
1980
1980: Staff Lists and Personnel Sheets
13
75
1981
1981: Cast & Crew, A-B
14
76
1981
1981: Cast & Crew, C-G
14
77
1981
1981: Cast & Crew, H-J
14
78
1981
1981: Cast & Crew, K-N
14
79
1981
1981: Cast & Crew, O-R
14
80
1981
1981: Cast & Crew, S-W
14
81
1981
1981: New London Company Cast & Crew
15
82
1981
1981: New London Company Notes
15
83
1981
1981: Notes
15
84
1981
1981: Payroll
15
85
1981
1981: Payroll, New London Company
15
86
1982
1982: Cast & Crew, A-B
15
87
1982
1982: Cast & Crew, C-G
15
88
1982
1982: Cast & Crew, H-L
16
89
1982
1982: Cast & Crew, M-P
16
90
1982
1982: Cast & Crew, R-S
16
91
1982
1982: Cast & Crew, T-Z
16
92
1982
1982: Contact Sheets & Notes
16
93
1983
1983: Cast & Crew, A-C
16
94
1983
1983: Cast & Crew, D-G
17
95
1983
1983: Cast & Crew, H-J
17
96
1983
1983: Cast & Crew, K-N
17
97
1983
1983: Cast & Crew, O-P
17
98
1983
1983: Cast & Crew, R-Z
17
99
1983
1983: Contacts & Notes
17
100
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, A-C
18
101
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, D-G
18
102
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, H-K
18
103
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, L
18
104
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, M-N
18
105
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, O-P
18
106
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, R-T
19
107
1984
1984: Cast & Crew, V-Z
19
108
1984
1984: Notes
19
109
1985
1985: Cast & Crew, A-B
19
110
1985
1985: Cast & Crew, C-G
19
111
1985
1985: Cast & Crew, H-L
19
112
1985
1985: Cast & Crew, M-R
19
113
1985
1985: Cast & Crew, S-Z
20
114
1985
1985: Notes
20
115
1985
1985: Payroll
20
116
1986
1986: Cast & Crew, A-F
20
117
1986
1986: Cast & Crew, G-O
20
118
1986
1986: Cast & Crew, P-S
20
119
1986
1986: Cast & Crew, T-W
20
120
1986
1986: Notes
21
121
1986
1986: Payroll
21
122
1987
1987: Cast & Crew, A-H
21
123
1987
1987: Cast & Crew, J-M
21
124
1987
1987: Cast & Crew, O-Z
21
125
1987
1987: Contact Sheets & Personnel Rosters
21
126
1988
1988: Cast & Crew, A-D
22
127
1988
1988: Cast & Crew, E-J
22
128
1988
1988: Cast & Crew, K-L
22
129
1988
1988: Cast & Crew, M-Q
22
130
1988
1988: Cast & Crew, R-S
22
131
1988
1988: Cast & Crew, T-Y
23
132
1988
1988: Contact Sheets & Correspondence
23
133
1988
1988: Contracts
23
134
1988
1988: Injury Reports
23
135
1988
1988: Musicians
23
136
1988
1988: Payroll
Series 2
24-26
1-34
Playbills1951-1988
The series consists of playbills for Theatre-By-The-Sea productions from 1951-1957 (productions of Donald Wolin and Harold Schiff), 1958 (productions of J. Thornton Hall and Joseph R. Wishy), 1960-1962 (productions of John Holmes), and 1967-1988 (productions of Tommy Brent). Several playbills in the Wolin and Schiff and John Holmes folders are autographed by the stars of the productions. The folder for the 1981 season contains a playbill for a production by Brent at the Garde Theatre in New London, Connecticut. Several folders also contain handwritten notes by Brent indicating playbills missing from that season's productions, and a single folder at the end of the series contains Brent's notes on the organization of the playbills.
The playbills are arranged chronologically.
24
1
1951
1951 Season: Wolin and Schiff Productions
24
2
1952
1952 Season: Wolin and Schiff Productions
24
3
1953
1953 Season: Wolin and Schiff Productions
24
4
1954
1954 Season: Wolin and Schiff Productions
24
5
1955
1955 Season: Wolin and Schiff Productions
24
6
1956
1956 Season: Wolin and Schiff Productions
24
7
1957
1957 Season: Wolin and Schiff Productions
24
8
1958
1958 Season: Hall and Wishy Productions
24
9
1960
1960 Season: John Holmes Productions
25
10
1961
1961 Season: John Holmes Productions
25
11
1962
1962 Season: John Holmes Productions
25
12
1967
1967 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
13
1968
1968 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
14
1969
1969 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
15
1970
1970 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
16
1971
1971 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
17
1972
1972 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
18
1973
1973 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
19
1974
1974 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
20
1975
1975 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
21
1976
1976 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
22
1977
1977 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
25
23
1978
1978 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
24
1979
1979 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
25
1980
1980 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
26
1981
1981 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
27
1982
1982 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
28
1983
1983 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
29
1984
1984 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
30
1985
1985 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
31
1986
1986 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
32
1987
1987 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
33
1988
1988 Season: Tommy Brent Productions
26
34
undated
Brent, Tommy: Notes on Playbills
Series 3
Oversize Box
Theatre Posters1953-1999
The Theatre Posters series consists of advertising posters for the Theatre's productions. Several posters in the series are for Tommy Brent productions staged at locations other than Theatre-By-The-Sea.
The posters are stored in a single oversized box (Ov. Box), and are numbered (Post. #) and arranged chronologically by the date of the production. An alphabetical list of the productions with references to the the poster number and year of the production is given below.
Ov. Box
41
1982
Ain't Misbehavin'
Ov. Box
11
1967
Any Wednesday
Ov. Box
43
1999
Benefit for St. Francis Church, Greenan Memorial Hall: Love Letters
Ov. Box
17
1970
Boys in the Band, The
Ov. Box
38, 40
1981
Brigadoon
Ov. Box
36
1980
Camelot
Ov. Box
30
1976
Candide
Ov. Box
35
1979
Chicago
Ov. Box
19
1972
Company
Ov. Box
20
1974
Dames at Sea
Ov. Box
12
1968
Delicate Balance, A
Ov. Box
16
1969
Don't Drink the Water
Ov. Box
12
1968
Enter Laughing
Ov. Box
33
1978
Equus
Ov. Box
16
1969
Fantasticks, The
Ov. Box
24
1975
Finishing Touches
Ov. Box
40
1981
Garde Theatre, New London, CT: The Pirates of Penzance/Brigadoon/West Side Story
Ov. Box
21
1974
George M!
Ov. Box
27
1976
George Washington Slept Here
Ov. Box
30
1976
Godspell
Ov. Box
37
1980
Grease
Ov. Box
23
1975
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Ov. Box
31
1977
Guys and Dolls
Ov. Box
25
1975
Gypsy
Ov. Box
22
1974
Hair
Ov. Box
28, 29
1976
Hello Dolly!
Ov. Box
13
1968
Holiday for Lovers
Ov. Box
38
1981
I Love My Wife
Ov. Box
29
1976
Irene
Ov. Box
19
1972
Jacques Brel
Ov. Box
26
1975
Jesus Christ Superstar
Ov. Box
33
1978
King and I, The
Ov. Box
10
1961
King of Hearts
Ov. Box
27, 28
1976
Kiss Me, Kate
Ov. Box
31
1971
Light Up the Sky
Ov. Box
15
1969
Lion in Winter, The
Ov. Box
42
1982
Little Me
Ov. Box
24
1975
Little Night Music, A
Ov. Box
43
1999
Love Letters
Ov. Box
17
1970
Lovers and Other Strangers
Ov. Box
32
1977
Mack & Mabel
Ov. Box
23
1975
Magical Tramp, The
Ov. Box
4
1957
Man in the Dog Suit, The
Ov. Box
34, 35
1979
Man of La Mancha
Ov. Box
1
1953
Mister Roberts
Ov. Box
23
1975
Musicals for Children: Grimm's Fairy Tales/The Magical Tramp/Tom Sawyer/The Wickedy Witch Who Really Wasn't
Ov. Box
32
1977
My Fair Lady
Ov. Box
20, 21
1974
No, No, Nanette
Ov. Box
36
1980
Oklahoma!
Ov. Box
39
1981
Over Here!
Ov. Box
33
1978
Pippin
Ov. Box
38, 40
1981
Pirates of Penzance, The
Ov. Box
15
1969
Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The
Ov. Box
22
1974
Prisoner of Second Avenue
Ov. Box
7
1958
Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker, The
Ov. Box
34
1979
Same Time Next Year
Ov. Box
25
1975
Seesaw
Ov. Box
19
1972
1776
Ov. Box
5
1958
Silver Jubilee Season Production List
Ov. Box
19, 34, 35
1972, 1979
Sound of Music, The
Ov. Box
14
1969
Star Spangled Girl
Ov. Box
26
1975
Sunshine Boys, The
Ov. Box
41, 42
1982
Sweeney Todd
Ov. Box
8
1958
Sweet and Sour
Ov. Box
3
1956
Tea and Sympathy
Ov. Box
22
1974
That Championship Season
Ov. Box
11
1967
Thousand Clowns, A
Ov. Box
41
1982
Tintypes
Ov. Box
23
1975
Tom Sawyer
Ov. Box
6
1958
Tonight at 8:30
Ov. Box
37
1980
Twentieth Century
Ov. Box
18
1971
Two If By Sea
Ov. Box
9
1960
Venus Observed
Ov. Box
13
1968
Wait Until Dark
Ov. Box
39, 40
1981
West Side Story
Ov. Box
42
1982
Whoopee!
Ov. Box
23
1975
Wickedy Witch Who Really Wasn't, The
Ov. Box
2
1956
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
Ov. Box
14
1969
You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running
Series 4
27
1-13
Theatre Histories1955-2006
This series contains historical information on the theatre, and includes written histories, biographical information on people involved in the Theatre's early days, records and architectural drawings relating to construction projects, and a plat map of the Browning family property that the Theatre was built on. Also included in the series is a copy of the nomination form for the Theatre's inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, and information submitted for a National Endowment for the Arts grant.
Folders in the series are arranged alphabetically by subject.
27
1
1955 Jan 25
Architectural Drawings for 1955 Renovation: Cull, Robinson and Green, Architects and Engineers (See: Oversize Box)
27
2
1976 Jun 29
Brent, Tommy: "Ten Years Later", Photocopy
27
3
2005 Sep 13
Brent, Tommy: Typescript re: Meeting with Alice Tyler
27
4
undated
Browning Property: September 1915 Plat Map, Reproduction (See: Oversize Box)
27
5
1983 Jun 16
Clarke, Lance Northup: "Theatre-By-The-Sea 1939"
27
6
1983
Doyle, Earle F.: "And the Dream Was Realized", Typescript
27
7
1988, 2006, undated
Feder, Abe H.: Biographical Articles
27
8
1976 Jun 30
Feder, Abe H.: "Theatre-By-The-Sea", Typescript
27
9
1971, 1982
Letters Re: Construction Projects
27
10
1984 Dec
National Endowment for the Arts Design Demonstration Grant: Supplemental Information
27
11
1980
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form
27
12
1933 Jul 27, 1980
O'Connor, Stephen A.: Letter Re: Opening Night
27
13
1976
Tyler, Matilda: "A Short Account of Theatre-By-The-Sea and Its Founder"
Series 5
28
1-7
Correspondence1967-2003
This series contains correspondence relating to the Theatre, as well as a folder of notes and letters sent to Tommy Brent. The Theatre correspondence contains letters regarding the business operations of the Theatre and correspondence with audience members.
Folders in the series are arranged alphabetically by subject, and chronologically within folders.
28
1
1967-1982
Audience Correspondence
28
2
1983
Audience Correspondence
28
3
1984-1989
Audience Correspondence
28
4
undated
Audience Correspondence
28
5
1969, 1972, 1974, 1976-1978>
Business Correspondence
28
6
1979-1989, undated
Business Correspondence
28
7
1978-2003
Tommy Brent: Letters and Notes Received
Series 6
29-30
1-31
Photographs1930s?-1982
This series consists of photographs of productions, cast members, and the Theatre buildings and grounds. The photographs include: a series of six photographs from 1979 by Warren Jagger used in the application for the Theatre's inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places; promotional photographs of cast members and productions taken by William Brophy in the 1970s; fourteen pictures of the early days of the Theatre and Beach Club (circa 1930s) that had been mounted on a piece of board. Several folders in the series consist of photographs of productions that had been stored in photo albums. Photocopies of the albums were made to preserve the original layout of the photographs, and the photographs were then removed from the albums and stored in folders for preservation purposes. The photocopies of the original album layout are included in the series.
The photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject.
29
1
1982 Jun 22-1982 Jul 11
"Ain't Misbehavin'"
29
2
2007
"Ain't Misbehavin'": Photocopies of Original Photo Album Layout
29
3
1960s?-1970s?
Bar and Restaurant
29
4
1979
Brophy, William: Carol Rogers in 'Man of La Mancha'
29
5
1977
Brophy, William: Christine Lawrence and Martin Van Treuren in 'My Fair Lady'
29
6
1977
Brophy, William: Christine Lawrence in 'My Fair Lady'
29
7
1977
Brophy, William: Dale Benson and Pat Shallcross in 'Light Up the Sky'
29
8
1977
Brophy, William: David Black and Claudia Barber Leaman in 'Light Up the Sky'
29
9
1977
Brophy, William: David Green and Michael Cone in 'Guys and Dolls'
29
10
1977
Brophy, William: Frank Anderson in 'Mack and Mabel'
29
11
1971
Brophy, William: Herb Aaronson in 'Fiddler on the Roof' (See: Oversize Box)
29
12
1977
Brophy, William: Karen Wilder in 'Guys and Dolls'
29
13
1977
Brophy, William: 'Light Up the Sky', Cast Members
29
14
1978
Brophy, William: 'Pippin'
29
15
1971
Brophy, William: Richard Lincoln and Amy Howard in 'Fiddler on the Roof' (See: Oversize Box)
29
16
1978
Brophy, William: 'The Fantasticks'
29
17
1977
Brophy, William: Claudia Barber Leaman and John Valentine in 'Light Up the Sky'
29
18
1960s?-1970s?
Buildings and Grounds
29
19
1930s?
Early Photographs of the Theatre and Club
29
20
1979 Sep
Jagger, Warren: Photograph 1, View of the Theatre from Card's Pond Road
29
21
1979 Sep
Jagger, Warren: Photograph 2, Front View of Theatre
29
22
1919 Sep
Jagger, Warren: Photograph 3, View from Stage
29
23
1979 Sep
Jagger, Warren: Photograph 4, View of Stage from Balcony
29
24
1979 Sep
Jagger, Warren: Photograph 5, South View of Inn
29
25
1979 Sep
Jagger, Warren: Photograph 6, Costume Shop
29
26
1975 Aug 4-1975 Aug 25
Jesus Christ Superstar', Photographs 1-30
30
27
1976 Aug 4-1975 Aug 25
'Jesus Christ Superstar', Photographs 31-60
30
28
1982 Jun 4-1982 Jun 20
'Tintypes'
30
29
1983 Jun 4-1982 Jun 20
'Tintypes'
30
30
2007
'Tintypes': Photocopies of Original Photo Album Layout
30
31
undated
Unidentified Productions
Series 7
31-35
1-66
Recordings1971-1985
This series consists of recordings of Theatre productions that have been converted to WAV audio files and stored on CD-ROM. One folder at the beginning of the series contains photocopies of notes written by Tommy Brent describing the contents of each cassette tape. The notes consist of information on recording quality, the performances, and the dates that the tapes were reviewed by Brent.
The original recordings were made using both reel-to-reel and cassette recorders, and the reel-to-reel tapes were re-recorded on to cassette. The cassette tapes were then converted to 32-bit WAV files between June 2006 and May 2007, using Audacity audio-recording software. Tapes 32 and 103 were not converted to WAV format because problems with the tapes prevented them from working in the playback equipment. The original cassettes were returned to Brent after the conversion process.
The series is arranged by tape number. The tapes had been ordered alphabetically by Brent, and were assigned tape numbers during the conversion process corresponding to the alphabetical order.
31
1
1994, 1997, undated
Brent, Tommy: Notes on Recordings
31
2
1984 Jun 16
Tapes 1 and 2: A Day in Hollywood
31
3
1984 Jun 16
Tapes 3 and 4: A Day in Hollywood
31
4
1984 Jun 15
Tapes 5 and 6: A Day in Hollywood
31
5
1984 Jun 9
Tapes 7 and 8: A Day in Hollywood
31
6
1984?
Tape 9: A Day in Hollywood
31
7
1975
Tapes 10 and 11: A Little Night Music
31
8
1975 Jul 5
Tapes 12 and 13: A Little Night Music
31
9
1975 Jul 7
Tapes 14 and 15: A Little Night Music
31
10
1982?
Tape 16: Ain't Misbehavin'
31
11
1982 Jul 10
Tape 17: Ain't Misbehavin'
31
12
1982
Tape 18: Ain't Misbehavin'
31
13
1982
Tape 19: Ain't Misbehavin'
31
14
1982
Tape 20: Ain't Misbehavin'
31
15
1983 Aug 19
Tapes 21 and 22: Annie
32
16
1983 Aug 21
Tapes 23 and 24: Annie
32
17
undated
Tape 25: Anything Goes
32
18
1985 Jun 23
Tapes 26 and 27: Baby
32
19
1983 Sep 2
Tapes 28 and 29: Barnum
32
20
1983 Sep 11
Tapes 30 and 31: Barnum
32
21
1984 Aug 18
Tape 33: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Act II
32
22
1984 Jul 21
Tape 34A: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Act I
32
23
1984 Jul 21
Tape 34B: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Act I
32
24
1984 Jul 21
Tape 35: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Act II
32
25
1984 Aug 3
Tape 36: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Act I
32
26
1984 Aug 3
Tape 37: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Act II
32
27
1971 Aug 5
Tapes 38 and 39: The Boyfriend
32
28
1971 Aug 7
Tapes 40 and 41: The Boyfriend
32
29
1981?
Tapes 42 and 43: Brigadoon
32
30
1981 Aug 2
Tapes 44 and 45: Brigadoon
32
31
1973 Aug 28-1973 Sep 2
Tapes 46 and 47: Butterflies Are Free
32
32
1980
Tape 48: Camelot, Act I
32
33
1980 Jul 26
Tape 49: Camelot, Act I
33
34
1980 Jul 26
Tape 50: Camelot, Acts I and II
33
35
1976
Tapes 51 and 52: Candide
33
36
1976 Aug 10
Tapes 53 and 54: Candide
33
37
1976
Tapes 55 and 56: Candide
33
38
1979 Aug 7
Tapes 57 and 58: Chicago
33
39
1979 Aug 7
Tape 59: Chicago
33
40
1979 Aug 10
Tapes 60 and 61: Chicago
33
41
1979 Aug 19
Tapes 62 and 63: Chicago
33
42
undated
Tapes 64 and 65: Company
33
43
1974 Jun 23
Tapes 66 and 67: Dames at Sea
33
44
1978 Sep 9
Tapes 68 and 69: Equus
33
45
1985 Sep
Tapes 70 and 71: Evita
33
46
1985 Jul 20, 1985 Sep
Tapes 72, 73, and 74: Evita
33
47
1978 Jun 23
Tape 75: The Fantasticks
33
48
1975 Jun 21
Tapes 76 and 77: Finishing Touches
33
49
1975 Jun 21
Tape 78: Finishing Touches
34
50
1975 Jun 21
Tape 79: Finishing Touches
34
51
1972 Aug 25
Tapes 80 and 81: Forty Carats
34
52
1974
Tapes 82 and 83: George M.
34
53
1976 Jun 27
Tape 84: George Washington Slept Here
34
54
1976
Tapes 85 and 86: Godspell
34
55
1980 Aug 24
Tapes 87 and 88: Grease
34
56
1977 Jul 5
Tape 89: Guys and Dolls, Act I, Part 1
34
57
1977 Jul 5
Tape 90: Guys and Dolls, Act I, Part 2
34
58
1977 Jul 10
Tapes 91 and 92: Guys and Dolls, Act II
34
59
1975
Tape 93: Gypsy, Act I
34
60
1975
Tape 94: Gypsy, Act II
35
61
1975 Jul 19
Tape 95: Gypsy, Act I
35
62
1975 Jul 19
Tape 96: Gypsy, Act II
35
63
1974
Tapes 97 and 98: Hair
35
64
1976
Tapes 99 and 100: Hello Dolly
35
65
1976 Jul 18
Tape 101: Hello Dolly
35
66
undated
Tapes 102 and 104: I Love My Wife
Series 8
36-37
1-71
News Clippings1933-1971
The News Clippings series consists of clippings from local newspapers and magazines covering both the Theatre generally, as well as reviews of individual productions. Some of the clippings were glued to paper or cardboard backings that damaged the original articles. Clippings that had been mounted were photocopied to preserve the information, and the photocopies are included in the series.
The news clippings are arranged chronologically by year, then by the dates of the individual productions within each year.
36
1
1933 Aug 7
1933 Review: Strictly Dynamite, Premiere Show, Photocopy
36
2
1957 Aug 11
1957 Review: The Desk Set
36
3
1867 Feb-1967 Aug, undated
1967: News Clippings
36
4
1967 Jun 16-1967 Jun 27, undated
1967 Reviews: Any Wednesday
36
5
2007
1967 Reviews: Any Wednesday, Photocopies
36
6
1967 Jul 6
1967 Reviews: A Thousand Clowns
36
7
2007
1967 Reviews: A Thousand Clowns, Photocopies
36
8
1967 Jul 13, undated
1967 Reviews: Wake Up, Darling
36
9
2007
1967 Reviews: Wake Up, Darling, Photocopies
36
10
1967 Jul 18-1967 Jul 27, undated
1967 Reviews: The Odd Couple
36
11
2007
1967 Reviews: The Odd Couple, Photocopy
36
12
1967 Aug 1-1967 Aug 4
1967 Reviews: Barefoot in the Park
36
13
2007
1967 Reviews: Barefoot in the Park, Photocopy
36
14
1967 Aug 17-1967 Aug 18, undated
1967 Reviews: Ladies in Retirement
36
15
1967 Aug 24
1967 Reviews: Springtime for Henry
36
16
2007
1967 Reviews: Springtime for Henry, Photocopy
36
17
1967 Aug 29-1967 Sep 3
1967 Reviews: Luv
36
18
2007
1967 Reviews: Luv, Photocopy
36
19
1968 Feb-1968 Sep
1968: News Clippings
36
20
2007
1968: News Clippings, Photocopies
36
21
1968 Jun 19-1968 Jun 28
1968 Reviews: Generation
36
22
2007
1968 Reviews: Generation, Photocopies
36
23
1968 Jul 3-1968 Jul 4, undated
1968 Reviews: The Impossible Years
36
24
2007
1968 Reviews: The Impossible Years, Photocopies
36
25
1968 Jul 10-1968 Jul 12
1968 Reviews: Never Too Late
36
26
2007
1968 Reviews: Never Too Late, Photocopies
36
27
1968 Jul 12-1969 Jul 19
1968 Reviews: Ladies Night in a Turkish Bath
36
28
2007
1968 Reviews: Ladies Night in a Turkish Bath, Photocopies
36
29
1968 Jul 18-1968 Jul 26
1968 Reviews: A Delicate Balance
36
30
2007
1968 Reviews: A Delicate Balance, Photocopies
36
31
1968 Aug 1-1968 Aug 2, undated
1968 Reviews: Enter Laughing
36
32
2007
1968 Reviews: Enter Laughing, Photocopies
36
33
1968 Aug 8-1968 Aug 10, undated
1968 Reviews: Holiday for Lovers
36
34
2007
1968 Reviews: Holiday for Lovers, Photocopies
36
35
1968 Aug 13-1968 Aug 16
1968 Reviews: Wait Until Dark
36
36
2007
1968 Reviews: Wait Until Dark, Photocopies
36
37
1968 Aug 28
1968 Reviews: The Owl and the Pussycat
36
38
2007
1968 Reviews: The Owl and the Pussycat, Photocopies
36
39
undated
1968 Reviews: Marriage On Approval
36
40
2007
1968 Reviews: Marriage On Approval, Photocopies
36
41
1969 Jul-1969 Aug
1969: News Clippings
36
42
1969 Jun 21-1969 Jun 27, undated
1969 Reviews: The Star Spangled Girl
36
43
2007
1969 Reviews: The Star Spangled Girl, Photocopies
36
44
1969 Jul 1-1969 Jul 25
1969 Reviews: You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running
36
45
2007
1969 Reviews: You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running, Photocopies
36
46
1969 Jul 9-1969 Jul 11, undated
1969 Reviews: Cactus Flower
36
47
2007
1969 Reviews: Cactus Flower, Photocopies
36
48
1969 Jul 25-1969 Aug 1, undated
1969 Reviews: The Lion in Winter
36
49
2007
1969 Reviews: The Lion in Winter, Photocopies
36
50
1969 Aug 3-1969 Aug 8
1969 Reviews: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
36
51
2007
1969 Reviews: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Photocopies
36
52
1969 Aug 5-1969 Aug 22, undated
1969 Reviews: Don't Drink the Water
36
53
2007
1969 Reviews: Don't Drink the Water, Photocopies
37
54
1969 Aug 20-1969 Aug 29
1969 Reviews: The Fantasticks
37
55
2007
1969 Reviews: The Fantasticks, Photocopies
37
56
1970 May-1970 Sep, undated
1970: News Clippings
37
57
1970 Jun 19-1970 Jun 26, undated
1970 Reviews: I Do! I Do!
37
58
1970 Jul 3, undated
1970 Reviews: Man of La Mancha
37
59
1970 Jul 3-1970 Aug 16, undated
1970 Reviews: Cabaret
37
60
1970 Jul 29-1970 Aug 1
1970 Reviews: Little Mary Sunshine
37
61
1970 Aug 7-1970 Aug 14, undated
1970 Reviews: Sheep on the Runway
37
62
1970 Aug 7-1970 Aug 14
1970 Reviews: The Boys in the Band
37
63
1970 Sep 2, undated
1970 Reviews: Lovers and Other Strangers
37
64
1971 Jun-1971 Sep, undated
1971: News Clippings
37
65
1971 Jun 19-1971 Jun 24
1971 Reviews: Two If By Sea
37
66
1971 Jun 24-1971 Aug 8, undated
1971 Reviews: Fiddler on the Roof
37
67
1971 Jul 14-1971 Aug 27, undated
1971 Reviews: Play It Again Sam
37
68
1971 Jul 21-1971 Aug 7, undated
1971 Reviews: The Boy Friend
37
69
1971 Jul 4-1971 Aug 19
1971 Reviews: Plaza Suite
37
70
1971 Aug 20-1971 Sep 3, undated
Reviews: Private Lives
37
71
2007
2007: Re-opening of Theatre
Series 9
38
1-5
Production Designs1975-1986
This series consists of lighting instructions, drawings of set designs, and notes on stage and set plans for the individual Theatre productions. Several of the set design drawings are stored with the oversized material.
Folders in the series are arranged chronologically by the date of the production.
38
1
1975
Seesaw: Instructions for Screen and Slide Movements
38
1
1984
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (See: Oversize Box)
38
3
1984
Woman of the Year (See: Oversize Box)
38
4
1986 Jul
A Chorus Line: Lighting Designs
38
5
1986
The Unsinkable Molly Brown: Set Designs